Waris Ahluwalia illustration by Konstantin Kakanias. (Source: New York Times.)
Over the last several days, many shoppers around North America were surprised to find Waris Ahluwalia (the “modern-day Marco Polo“) staring them in the face at the mall, in flyers, and in magazine ads this week. The Sikh American actor/designer/model is apparently being featured in clothing retailer Gap‘s current national marketing campaign:
Poster of Waris Ahluwalia, via @SimranColumbia.
Poster of Waris Ahluwalia, via @saintsoldierx.
Poster of Waris Ahluwalia, via @naunihalpublic.
Poster of Waris Ahluwalia, via @Randeep.
Poster of Waris Ahluwalia, via @JugniStyle.
It’s a safe assumption that Gap has not entered the retail market for turbans, but it might be interesting to walk into your nearest Gap store, point to the poster, and advise the salesperson that you’ll wear what he’s wearing.
(See previous posts about designer/actor and American Turban meme Waris Ahluwalia here.)
americanturban.com 
Fantastic!!
What a smashing lookin Sikh. Don’t think much of the woman though. Couldn’t they find a Singhani to accompany him? Shameful. Sikh Indian women are far more beautiful and charismatic than these white femails.
Really? Why do you have to put someone else down.. and a whole group of people at that, just to promote some sikh women..get a life dude.
Your message is totally racist.
Mr. Khalsa’s comments show lot of arrogance. Comments like this create only hatred & division.
I love it! what a beautiful sight! Makes me want to shop at the Gap more!
Jaswinder your comments are racist. Before being proud of being Sikh, know what it means. Amongst Sikhs and Singhnia are beautiful charismatic “white” females. Amongst sikh imposters are masses of Indians, female and male. Yes, it would be nice for Sikh females to be represented. However, your message reeks of mindsets trapped in a caste society.
Sikh women of Indian origin have to be the most beautiful women on around!! People should promote the beauty of Indian Singhanias left right and centre. They are the most magically beautiful compared to any other woman anywhere.
I once dated a beautiful Sikh woman and she was really the most enchanting lady I have ever known. Her beauty was inner beauty and nothing trashy like others.
Please keep comments respectful and appropriate, or they will be removed. Thank you.
People, there is no such word as “Singhania” in Sikhi, only Kaur is the correct word for Sikh females. Please do not bastardize the language. Also comparing females such as ‘white’ vs ‘Sikh women’ is racist and arrogant, and against the principles of Sikhi which is inclusive. All people of all races are beautiful
Saw this poster last week in Torrance, California. It made me stop in my tracks cause he’s so gorgeous. Total eye candy, but I was deeply moved that he was featured in the Gap ad as an example of the diversity and dignity of humankind.
There has been much criticism from the more traditional circles concerning the hand contact of the dastaar as well as male-female contact. As someone who is an outsider, there may be merit in my remaining silent. However if greater harm comes as a result of my silence, then I stand guilty.
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Originally from near Amritsar, Punjab, Ahluwalia and his family moved to New York when he was five years old. He has established his own fashion company, House of Waris, which deals mostly in fine jewelry and scarves. http://www.americanbazaaronline.com
He is so gorgeous 🙂
In fact they are the most unsightly faces I have seen. Their expressionless eyes and body posture tell me they wanna run to the loo!! I have never liked this brand and have no intention to start liking it now. I would surely not like my father, brother or husband photographed this way. I also wear a dastar and I can tell you no man is ever coming near it with cheap intentions. The advert has really belittled the human birth by showing that human beings are only good for one thing and that one thing is exploitation. We human beings are exploited on daily basis in many different ways just to put some food on our tables. Look how hard we have to work for our employers to earn a decent living. We vote our governments in on false promises and never achieve what we voted them in for. The governments declare wars without listening to us. They do their own thing and when it suits them, we don’t have a say.
Sikhs that know the significance of dastar will never put themselves forward to do an advert of this kind. They will lay their lives before someone touches their dastars in this way. The Sikhs that approve of this advert are the very Sikhs that will complain if their dastars were touched at the airport security. These are the very Sikhs that are confusing the airport security staff and their rules. Why is it okay to touch a person’s dastar whether man or woman in adverts like this (obviously for money) one and not okay to do the same at the airports by the immigration officers or security officers, when it is a question of saving so many lives on board the plane? Does this not indicate that God chose to create the Sikhs with slightly thicker brains than the rest of the human race for some reason?
Gurbani is the only hope for each and every Sikh today. Look at the lives of our Gurus and learn something from it. They led pure lives and taught us to do the same. I urge all my Sikh fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts and cousins please do not tarnish Sikhi for money, for fame or for false prestige.
You mean there is no soul behind those eyes?